Homer B. Hulbert's The History of Korea (1905) opens with a preface that explicitly names its primary sources: the Tong-sa Kang-yo and Tong-guk Tong-gam, both Korean compilations. This reliance on indigenous records distinguishes the work from many Western histories of the period, which often leaned on Chinese or European accounts. The catalog subject 'Korea -- History' is accurate but broad; the excerpts reveal a concentrated focus on dynastic politics, military conflict, and diplomatic relations, particularly with China and the Mongols. Hulbert's narrative voice is direct and detail-oriented, as seen in his account of the 1259 crisis, where he describes the crown prince's embassy to the Mongol court and the subsequent destruction of palaces on Kang-wha island. The text's structure follows a chronological division into Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Korea, though the excerpts only cover up to the medieval period.

Source Foundations and Authorial Method

Hulbert's preface provides a rare window into his methodology. He states that for ancient and medieval history he 'mainly followed' the Tong-sa Kang-yo, an abstract of four major Korean histories, and verified facts against the Tong-guk Tong-gam. For the modern period (post-1392), he encountered a different challenge: Korean dynastic histories were unpublished until after a dynasty's fall. He therefore relied on private manuscripts, aided by a Korean scholar who had studied the dynasty for twenty-five years. This reliance on Korean-language sources, rather than Chinese or Western ones, is a deliberate choice that shapes the narrative's perspective. The excerpts show Hulbert weaving these sources into a chronological account, but he does not always signal where one source ends and another begins. Readers should note that the work's authority rests on these Korean compilations, which themselves have their own biases—particularly toward the ruling house in the Kuk-cho Po-gam, which Hulbert dismisses as 'in no sense a history.'

Diplomacy and Coercion in the Mongol Era

The longest excerpt details events around 1259, when Koryŏ was under Mongol pressure. Hulbert's account is rich in specific actions: the king sends his crown prince to the Mongol court with 'three hundred horse-loads of gifts'; General Cha Ra-dă dies just as his plan succeeds; the emperor demands the king leave Kang-wha island; and the palaces there are destroyed 'like distant thunder.' The narrative emphasizes the asymmetry of power—Mongol troops occupy P'yŏng-yang, build war boats, and demand the return of island refugees. Yet Hulbert also records Korean agency: the prince negotiates a troop withdrawal by arguing that 'if they are not recalled the people will have no hope except in flight.' The text does not moralize; it presents these events as a sequence of demands, delays, and compromises. This section illustrates how Hulbert's history operates at the level of court politics and military maneuvers, with little attention to social or economic conditions.

Narrative Texture and Editorial Choices

Hulbert's prose is plain and factual, but it occasionally admits vivid details. The 'fall of the buildings sounded like distant thunder' is one such moment. Another is the description of the crown prince's escort: 'forty men' and 'three hundred horse-loads of gifts.' These specifics give the account a concrete texture. However, the excerpts also reveal gaps: Hulbert does not explain the internal structure of Koryŏ government, the role of Buddhism, or the lives of common people. His focus is on kings, envoys, and generals. The catalog subject 'history-medieval' is apt, but the work is a political and military history, not a cultural or social one. Readers should also note that the text includes transcriber's corrections (underlined words) and a fabricated cover, as noted in the front matter. These editorial interventions are part of the Project Gutenberg edition and do not reflect Hulbert's original 1905 publication.

Hulbert's History of Korea is best approached as a political chronicle grounded in Korean sources. Readers interested in the Mongol-Koryŏ relationship will find the 1259 episode particularly detailed, but should be aware that the narrative prioritizes court-level events over broader social history. The work's value lies in its use of indigenous records and its straightforward presentation of diplomatic and military maneuvers. For a fuller picture, one might supplement this volume with studies that address economic, cultural, or everyday life in medieval Korea.